Carbonizing fuel in vertical retorts



A. MCD. DUCKHANI.

CARBONIZING FUEL IN VERTICAL RETORTS.

l Mar. 6, 1923.

A// jf v f ARTHUR MGDOUGALL DUC :It:

, oF LONDON, ENGLAND.

CARBONIZING FUEL IN' VERTICAL RETORTS.

. Application led MayA 18,.

To all whom it 'may concem: A

` Be it known that I, ARTHUR MCDOUGALL DUGKHAM, a subject ofthe King of Great Britain, residing in London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Carbouizing Fuel in Vertical Retorts, of which the following is a specification.

In the operation of carbonizing fuel in vertical retorts steam is frequently introduced into the bottom of the retort for the purpose of reacting with .the hot coke to forni water-gas. The proportion of 4steam permissible depends on the temperature of the coke, which temperature has been reached by the carbonization of the mass of coal in the retort, andit has not been found profitable to extend the external heating of the retort tothe part containing the coke so as to maintain the temperature of the latter to such a degree that an increased Y amount of water gas can be made.

' By this invention the temperature of the coke at the lower part of alvertical retort is maintained for the purpose inquestion by introducing oxygen together with the steam, or alternately with the steam. The oxygen may be diluted with a certain proportion of nitrogen as for example 40 per cent of its volume, but the quantity of nitrogen thusl introduced must not exceed that which,

' when mixed with the gas produced. by the carbonizing process as a whole, wouldbring the percentage of Initrogen to the maximum percentage permissible with respect 'to the calorific value of the gas. By adopting this mode of internally heating the coke in the lower part of the retort, noty only is the temperature better maintained, so that the out-N put of water-gas, and hence of total gas, is increased, but the cost of externally heating I the lower part of the retort is saved.

The oxygen is preferably admitted toi. gethei-,with the steam and the accompanying drawingsshow ,in Figs. l and 2 in vertical sections in Vplanes at right angles -to each other a retort provided with suitable inlets for the purpose.

1922. serial No. 561,914.

/heating gases pass'downwards to the waste gas flues c; below these latter lines the setting contains on each side 'of the retort a U-shaped pipe d closed at one endand having that limb which is nearerv to theretort perforated to permit gaseous fluid to issue through nozzles e into the retort. A mixtureofsteam and oxygen is passed into the open end of the U-tube and becomes preheat- 'ed by the heat of the waste gas flues before it enters the retort.

Having thus fully described the nature of theesaid invention and the best means I know .for carrying the same into practical effect, I claim l 1. `A process of' carbonizing fuel which consists in placing the fuel into externally heated vertical retorts, introducing steam into the bottom of the retort, and introduc' ing oxygen mixed with nitrogen, the nitrogen being used in quantities of not more than 40 per cent of the volume of the oxygen into the lower part of the retort in such a manner that; it comes in contact with the hot coke and maintains the temperature of .the latter at the degree necessary for the production of water-gas from the steam.

2. A process of carboniyzing fuel which consists in introducing the fuel into externally heated vertical retorts, and introducing steam and oxygen. mixed with nitrogen, the `nit-mgen being used in quantities of not more than 40 per cent of the volume of th mixture into the lower part of the retort.

' 3. A process of carbonizing fuel which consists in introducing the fuel into vertical retorts, and passing oxygen mixed with nitro n into the retort, the nitrogenbeing used 1n quantities of not` more than 40' per cent ofthe volume of the oxygen and steam alternately into the lower part of the retort. In testlmonyA whereof `I have signed my "name to this specification.

.ARTHUR Menouexiirl DUCKHAM. 

